Beautiful gold, so-so silver and shameful bronze: The running Olympics thread

We're cool. We won two in women's wrestling. A gold even! ;D

 

Your broads are tougher than our broads.

It's obvious the Chinese freight train is scooping up a lot of medals that would have gone other places (not necessarily to the U.S., though). Nobody is going to catch them in the gold count. The U.S. probably still will win the overall count, but not by much.

But unless there's some sort of wave in the next few days, you can hang any underperforming scenario around the neck of the U.S. track and field team.

 

Hmm ... speaking of Chinese gold, how many of them are really gold? There's all the fuss about women's gymnastics ... and I certainly don't want to sound sore about it all but ...

This morning I watched the men's trampoline final. Amazing performance for Jason Burnett after finishing seventh in qualifying.

His degree of difficulty was 16.8 and Lu Chunlong's was 16.2. Burnett was near perfect but outscored by Lu, who was given better execution despite several 'travels.'

Was Burnett hosed? I'm not sure. I don't know how many demerits at which a travel is valued.

And shoot, he's happy with a silver at his first Olympics ... but you just can't help wonder ...

 

When judging comes into play, anything is possible. I know the U.S. has a few issues with what's been going on in gymnastics.

I guess it all depends on whose ox is being gored. Still, I'd rather depend on a scoreboard or a clock than on a judge.

 

Re: Beautiful gold, so-so silver and shameful bronze: The running Olympics threa

Just got done reading about Johnson finally getting gold on the beam, and I have to say the following:

If there is a classier teenager on Earth than Shawn Johnson, I would love to meet him or her.

http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/summer08/gymnastics/news/story?id=3542152

 

I've come to the conclsion since the gymnastics portion of the olympic ended that I need to give my eyes a grueling workout...you know....since I have an untrained eye and all.

 

Yeah, we know all about it. [/Canadianfigureskaters]

 

Re: Beautiful gold, so-so silver and shameful bronze: The running Olympics threa

They may not be as classy, but they try just as hard!

 

Great quote:

"I would never trade one of my silvers for gold," she insisted. "What I went through to get them is very special to me and really touched my heart."

 

I love how they describe Liukin as "long and lithe." She's 5-foot-3.

 

Anyone else do a double take when hearing the name "Shawn Johnson" and seeing that she's a white woman?

I'm saying...she wins the gold just for that achievement.

LOL

 

Can someone help me?

The men's decathlon starts sometime during the day Wednesday, but the AP's schedule is only showing three events.
I know the decathlon is being competed Thursday and Friday Beijing time, but what time will that be in the States? We're trying to figure out our budget and have a decathlete competing.

Thanks in advance.